Nature, Red in Claw & Tooth
by a kiss of winter
Summary: "We could put him on a leash." / "Oh, come on, isn't that child abuse?" [Raven Queen x Cerise Hood, femslash, oneshot.]


_**author's note:** A little domesticated future family fluff for Red Queen, because it's Paint Splat's birthday. She's a close friend of mine, so I figured why not!_

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_**-xoxo-**_

**Nature, Red in Claw & Tooth**

_**-xoxo-**_

A loud animalistic whine, followed by rapid barking, echoed through the Grand Castle. The guards were used to it by now, but to those who had permanent residence there, it was still a bit of a surprise. To a stranger, they would assume something else entirely, so it wouldn't be out of the ordinary, but once they noticed where the sound was coming from, their view would change in every single way possible.

"Cerise-"

"-I got him!"

The Queen, Raven, let out a sigh, and shook her head when she saw her wife carrying in a very fussy toddler. She smiled at the sight: funny how everything could change so rapidly after the stories had occurred. Back in high school, if someone were to tell Raven she would be married to one of her best friends, and they had turned their fables around completely, she would have doubted them.

But now, she wouldn't have had it any other way...

"Can't find any of his toys," Cerise muttered, as she struggled to keep the child in her arms, despite his fighting. "Here, take him." She held the young boy out, and Raven held him close.

She laughed as she noticed her wife brush dirt and mud off of her jeans. "He's giving you a hard time, huh?"

Cerise rolled her eyes as she tossed her hood off. Now that the rebels had taken over, her secret wasn't so secret anymore. The realms didn't quite welcome her with open arms, but being a Royal (by marriage, anyway), she was accepted for the most part. She plopped down onto the couch, and ran a hand through her hair, watching as Raven let the young boy go, allowing him to run around the lavish den of the palace, shrieking with laughter.

"If he gets back out, I'm not chasing after him again," Cerise announced.

"Don't worry," Raven said, with a flick of her wrists. In an aura of violet, every door, window and cupboard in the whole castle was locked. "He's safe now."

Now, a whole decade after everyone had finished their rewritten stories, their lives had obviously changed as a ripple effect...

...and no one was complaining.

Everything had changed, but only for the better, and even the royals had admitted: having the chance to change a few thing was a wonderful idea. Real, true love was occurring, the stories may have rewritten but they weren't twisted and the feeling of a Happily Ever After was definitely in every realm to grace the land.

No one was more surprised than Raven and Cerise. They were being dubbed the new Beauty and Beast.

Their rewritten story involved Little Red getting lost on the way to her grandmother's house, and seeking shelter in a castle off the path. Little did she know the castle was a home to the Evil Queen. Only the kind hospitality and warm heart of Little Red could reverse the Evil Queen out of her treacherous spirit and cruel ways. It was all so unexpected and impossible, but they rewrote it and wouldn't change a thing...

...well, except for now, and the fact that the little boy they had taken in was chewing up one of the pillows on the sofa.

"Were you this bad when you were three?" Raven asked, as she got up and tried to pry the pillow out of their son's mouth.

"Nah," Cerise said, with a wave of her hand. "I was worse." She noticed Raven's horrified expression. "When you mix a wolf and a human, you can't expect normal!"

"Still," Raven grumbled. "I would think werewolves would be the same to whatever you are." With one last yank, she got the pillow free-

-however, the tassels were ripped off and a few feathers were spilling out.

Raven groaned, and rolled her eyes. She picked the little boy up, and hoisted him up off of the couch. "What are we gonna do with you, kid?" she sighed.

Something that resembled a bark mixed in with a howl escaped the child, and Cerise laughed.

"We could put him on a leash," she suggested.

"Oh, come on," Raven said. "Isn't that child abuse?"

"My mom did it to me when I threw tantrums," Cerise admitted, with a shrug. "Tied me up out back, and I was howling for hours. Learned my lesson after the first few times, but still works."

"Well then, maybe we should drop him off at your parents' house," Raven muttered as her son snatched her silver tiara and began chewing on it.

Cerise smiled, and propped her feet up on the coffee table. "Just let him have fun," she assured. "Trust me, you can't tame werewolves like you can with wolves. There's a difference, they're a lot more wild." She noticed the skepticism in her wife's eyes and added, "Come on, the worst he can do is knock over another chair or scare a guard."

Raven looked at their son, and released a breath as she placed the child back onto the floor. In an instant, he was gone and ran out of the room.

Another crazy thing: when they had decided for a family, Raven and Cerise's only option was adoption, so what had Cerise thought up? A visit to her cousin's realm, the monster world. The first child they had noticed, a two year old werewolf boy who had been left on the front steps of the orphanage only weeks ago. He was in terrible condition beforehand, and now, he was being spoiled rotten by two very unique mothers.

...two mothers who had no idea how to raise a werewolf child.

"C'mere," Cerise said, with a wave of her hand, beckoning her wife over to the couch. She smiled when Raven sat down next to her, and she wrapped an arm around the woman she was lucky to call her True Love. "You are crazy strict, you know that?"

Raven snorted. "Says the lady who proposed the idea we put our son on a leash," she playfully shot back.

Cerise put up her hands in defense. "I'm just saying, it worked on me," she declared. "But seriously-" She took her wife's beautiful face into her hands and pulled her in for a kiss. "You, Queen Raven, are amazing, radiant, and fantastic, and I love you, but sometimes, I almost wish I left you alone in that dark, gloomy castle all on your own during our story."

Raven's slightly drained expression lit up, and she smirked ever-so-slightly. "I hate you," she teased. "But come to think of it, I never needed two pet dogs, anyway."

Cerise winced, and tried to stifle a chuckle. "That was below the belt, babe," she replied.

"All's fair in love and war," Raven laughed.

The two of them shared a simultaneous smile - one of joy, contentment and pure, unconditional happiness - only before they leaned in for another kiss...

...when a loud crash was heard from down the hall interrupted them.

Raven let out another groan, followed by a tired laugh. "That was not a chair, or a guard," she said.

Cerise placed a kiss on her wife's forehead. "I'll call my mom and see if she's got any tips and techniques to help us," she smirked.

Raven threw her hands up in exasperation, giving a teasing smile. "My hero," she murmured.

Stealing one quick kiss, Cerise playfully winked. "Hey, it was the best story I've ever heard of," she retorted.

A priceless, sweet, disbelieving smile on Raven's expression said it all: she couldn't have agree more.

Happily Ever After, indeed...

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_**author's note:** Short, sweet and simple, yay! In my original blueprint for the future of EAH, Cerise is a single mother, but for the sake of this story and my friend's OTP, I tweaked some things. Their son was unnamed in this fic for the sake of your imaginations, but I dubbed him Faolan Cardinal Hood. Fitting, I would say, what with the animal and color themes his moms have going on._

_Anywho, if you liked this story, review to let me know! :)_


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